Mozambique

A self-launched version of Exodus's 11-day Kruger & Mozambique safari. You cover the same ground — the Dolphin Coast, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Lake St Lucia, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, Ponta do Ouro for dolphin swimming, two full days in Kruger, and Blyde River Canyon — but independently, booking your own lodges and tented camps, joining shared self-drive game drives and ranger-led walks, and using baz bus/shuttle links and a hired car instead of a private guided minibus. Expect roughly £50–£70 per person per day including accommodation, food and activities. Note: South Africa game reserves and Ponta do Ouro are best done by rented car or backpacker shuttle since public transport is thin in this region. Costs are approximate and depend on season.

Travel Crew

~£720

A 13-day self-launched route from Johannesburg through Eswatini's wildlife sanctuaries, down Mozambique's Indian Ocean coast (Maputo, Tofo, Vilanculos/Bazaruto), and back via Xai-Xai and Kruger National Park. Using intercity buses, chapa minibuses and self-booked dhow trips instead of a private tour vehicle, this hits the same parks, beaches and game drives for roughly half the guided-tour price. Best done as a gap-year/backpacker leg with a bit of patience for border crossings and long travel days.

Travel Crew

~£737

This self-launched version of Exodus Adventure Travels' Southern Africa Safari covers the same incredible ground — Dolphin Coast, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, Ponta do Ouro, Kruger National Park, and Blyde River Canyon — but without the group tour premium. By booking your own accommodation at lodges, tented camps and guesthouses, arranging self-drive or shared transfers, and booking game drives and activities directly through parks and local operators (or via GetYourGuide/Klook), you can save well over £2,000 per person. A hire car (ideally a 4x4) is strongly recommended for flexibility, especially for self-driving within Kruger. All costs are approximate estimates.

Travel Crew

~£1,035